


The Betrayal of Royals

by locketheart



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Unsympathetic Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Unsympathetic Morality | Patton Sanders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24013747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/locketheart/pseuds/locketheart
Summary: Saint Mary’s Catholic Academy for Boys is exactly as religious and awful as it sounds, which Virgil Royals and Logan Emsworth are quickly learning as they experience life in the small texan town that surrounds it. They jumped into a relationship at the end of the last school year, but the stress and secrecy of it all leaves them wondering: is it really worth it? Along with their best friends, Janus and Remus, they navigate their hell-hole of a private school, and learn how to survive.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit Sanders
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	1. My Never-Ending Summer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anderswrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anderswrites/gifts).



> hey all!! Bc this is the first chapter, there is some character stuff at the beginning. Hope you like it!! Chapter 2 coming soon.  
> TW: homophobia and implied domestic abuse. Unsympathetic Patton. You've been warned.

Virgil Royals-A sophomore, 16, just got his license before the story starts. Very guarded and jaded, thinks Edgyness is Peak Humor. Drinks monsters every day. Wears too-big hoodies and ripped black jeans. Has naturally blond hair but dyed it purple, long on the top with shaved sides. Has blue eyes. He is really short, like, 5’3. Thicc. 

Logan Emsworth-A junior, 16. Yes he is autistic and it affects the story in some ways but that really isn't what the story is about. Deceit taught him how to use sarcasm and now he does it all the time and thinks it's hilarious. 7 coffees and a headache pill. Has naturally dark hair but Deceit convinces him to dye it blue at one point and he really likes it. Has brown eyes. He is just,, absurdly tall. Like 6’3. And he is l o n k and kinda dangly and he never really quite learned how to navigate the extra 6 inches that came in Sophomore year

Janus Arlott-A sophomore, 15. His real name is Janus, but he got the nickname Deceit in their middle school theatre company because some soprano was jealous that he got the part she was going for and now literally everyone calls him that. He is the master of sarcasm and talking his way out of situations. He has dark hair and a burn scar on one side from when he was a little kid and he accidentally dumped a kettle of boiling water on his face. Very much a beanpole but not as tall as Logan, probably like 5’11. He has yellow-green eyes. 

Remus Grimm-A Junior, 16. He’s the younger twin by 7 minutes. Everyone calls him “The Duke” because on the first day of the one act his freshman year he was playing an improv game and he dramatically said “Call me… the duke” and none of them knew his name, so they did. He has dark curly hair and dark green eyes. 5’7. 

Roman Grimm-A Junior, 16. The Older Twin. An Ass With A Superiority Complex. He’s called “Princey” because when Remus said, “Call me… the duke” everybody was like “Well what does that make you?” and he said “Princey, I guess.” and it stuck. He has lighter but still brown hair and blue eyes. 5’8

Patton Royals-Virgil’s Dad. Is the headmaster of the school that the kids attend. A Fucking Asshat. What a Little Bitchboy. 5’10. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Just like, I cannot describe him Any Other Way??? He’s just the actual fucking worst. End of story. 

Athena Emsworth-Logan’s mom. She’s an english professor at the local university. 6’ even. She’s really smart and kind of intimidating at first, but once you get to know her she’s really caring although she shows it in… unique ways. She has autism, like Logan, but literally didn’t know/realize until after Logan’s diagnosis and went like “.....o shit me too.” Her and Logan have casual debates about just about everything and generally have a really easy going relationship, but it's kind of not great because they tend to both hide serious things from each other 

Laurel Arlott-Deceit’s mom. Is a botanist and also works at the local university. If you have any kind of life science/biology anything kind of questions, you can go to her. Often, her and Logan will spend several hours talking with Deceit just being Tired in the background because all he wanted was help with his homework and now this happened. She’s generally really sweet and likes her little cottage-core aesthetic and supports Januswhole-heartedly. Also let's the disaster gays just kinda live in her basement, no questions asked, and for that reason alone we stan. 

Logan’s P.O.V.

The summer before Junior year was, objectively speaking, the best and worst summer of my life. At the end of the year I had become fast friends with a (for the record: very cute) boy named Virgil through our drama program. I was running lights and he was new and a year younger than me and needed to be taught everything. So I taught him how to use the light board. In exchange, he offered to buy me coffee. Everything went well. And then summer rolled along. 

It was a whole three months of running along with him. It was loud, and overwhelming, and he often made dumb, impulsive desisions and went to a lot of bad rock concerts. But at the same time, it was amazing. He was showing me the real nature of the town I had been living in my entire life, and I was with him. It was crazy and unpredictable and stressful and amazing and overwhelming, and now it's all coming to a close. 

September 2nd. The sunday before school started again. I was excited to get back to work, and a little relieved that my schedule would have more structure and consistency now, opposed to all summer being called by Virgil’s “Hey, wanna meet up?” text. 

Virgil seemed a little uneasy that night. 

We sat on the very top of the playground in our neighborhood park, where we spent a surprising amount of time together. We were sitting there, watching the sun set, and I knew soon we would begin the walk home, and we would get to the road where we had to go in opposite directions, and we would stand there under the street light, and share one last kiss, a goodnight, a see-you-tomorrow, an unspoken promise of the next day. 

But for now, we were sitting on the playground, and Virgil's leg was bouncing the way it did after 2 monsters, but he hadn't had anything stronger than a pepsi today, so I was a bit worried. I didn't know of any ailments that caused a sudden drop in caffeine tolerance, but I suppose they had to exist, right? 

“Are you alright?” I asked. 

“Uh, yeah. Why?” He says, staring at his shoes. Normally I'm the one staring off while he tries to get eye contact. I don't like this. 

“Because. You seem off today.” I said.

“Just worried about school, I s’pose” I looked at him, silently asking for the real reason. He sighed. “And there's something I've been meaning to tell you.” He went back to looking at his feet. I wasn't sure of what to say. 

“It will feel better once you get it off your chest,” I tried to be as soft and encouraging as possible but I don't think I pulled it off very well. 

“Uh, so, basically, MyDadIsHeadmasterRoyalsAndIUnderstandIfYouDontWannaDateMeAnymore.” 

I looked at him for a moment. Although I had never really seen him clearly, I suppose Headmaster Royals looked a little like my Virgil. But that doesnt matter. 

“Why would who your dad is change my opinion of you?” He looked at me as if he didn't understand what I was saying. It was a simple enough question. 

“My dad is the headmaster of the all-boys catholic high school we attend,” He paused for a second, “And I am your boyfriend, and we are gay, and you cant find a single problem with that statement?” 

“No?” I looked at him, “Although I suppose that explains why I've never been to your house before. Is there a problem? From what I’ve heard, Headmaster Royals is a pretty good guy. I've never had to really deal with him before.” 

He laughed a little, as if he had an inside joke with himself. “My father, a good person? Press X To Doubt.” I got the sense he was laughing so he wouldn't seem upset. 

“Why? What’s so bad about him?” I asked, and I could tell that he was upset. Maybe I shouldn’t be pushing this. “You don't have to-” 

“No, we should really just, get this all out on the table.” He sighed and looked at horizon, across the parking lot and the sorry excuse for grass that covered the park. “Basically, he’s really homophobic and really restrictive, and he kind of is always trying to catch me doing something wrong when I'm actually not doing anything, and sometimes he punishes me for shit I straight up didn't do.” He sighed again, not meeting my eyes, “It just gets so exhausting, having to watch literally every word I say, every little thing I do. Like when I dyed my hair. That literally has zero affect on him but he flipped his lid. I just can't stand spending my time with someone like that.” 

I look at him in worried silence. I did not know the right words for this situation. So I just grabbed his hand, intertwining his fingers with mine and just letting him know I was there. 

“I can't say I understand completely,” I started, “But, it sounds a lot like masking, and that sucks, and takes a lot of energy. So I can only imagine that your situation sucks, and takes a lot of energy, and so, I’m sorry.” I said. He squeezed my hand and smiled at me, and I only hoped that maybe I had said the right thing. 

“You’re right.” He said, “I suppose it’s a lot like masking.” He lifted our entwined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of my hand, “Why do you always know just what to say.” My brain was too caught up in the gesture to really process the question

“I don't.” I confess, “I'm just guessing here, hoping I can convince you to like me a little longer.” 

Virgil laughed a little, and it filled me with relief to see him smile again. He didn't do it often, especially earlier in our relationship. But I got to see him smile more and more often these days. He seemed more and more like a person instead of a bundle of worries in the shape of a hoodie. It made me glad to see. 

He looked up, and I followed his gaze to see the first stars in the night as the sun was casting its final rays. The night was warm, and I couldn’t help but go over all the amazing memories that we had in this park, the two of us, Remus and Deceit, how we spent so much time together here and I realized, all too suddenly, that I didn't want summer to end. 

Yeah, maybe the constant change in routine drives me insane, and the music is too loud, and I come home most nights desperately needing to lock myself in my room and recharge, but it was fun. It was a new experience for me, having a group of people that I could go to everything for, people that didn't judge me for every little thing I did, friends that I didn't have to mask around all the time, that understood my needs and helped me. 

Virgil squeezed my hand again and I looked at him. “You good?” 

“Um…” I didn't really know what to say. I wasn’t really sad, per say, but I wasn’t really happy either. I was having a lot of emotions about, everything. “It's a lot.” 

“What is?” He asked. This was him inviting me to info-dump, or just spill everything I was feeling out without judgement, but I don't know if I was ready for that yet. 

“I don't want summer to end.” I said, “And, as idiotic as it sounds, its a new experience for me.” 

“I understand.” He said, “Your old friends were kind of shit, and school was your escape from that, right?” I nodded. It was as if he had taken the words right out of my mouth. I suppose I told him a lot about all of that stuff when it was happening last year, so he knew how hurt I really had been over all of it. 

We sat in silence for a moment before I realized how late it must be if the sun had gone all the way down. “We should really be getting home.” I said. He nodded and we climbed down the playground equipment, which was stupidly complicated with our literal foot height difference and the fact that we refused to let go of the other’s hand. 

My Virgil smiled at me as we walked down the streets together, carefully not touching. It was a careful, quiet smile, and I could tell that the weight was back on his shoulders, and his guard was up again, and I wished that we could go somewhere far away from here together, a place where he wouldn't have to worry about who was watching, and I didn't look up and down the streets four times before a quick kiss goodbye, and we could just be us without the people giving us odd looks and wondering if those odd looks would soon turn to swinging fists, and a place where we could just be safe. 

We didn't talk. We rarely did, on the walks home. We were both slowly realizing that our reality was not safe for us anymore, returning and readjusting to that. 

I was suddenly very angry about all of it. But I knew that there was nothing I could do now, especially now, except simply survive. That is political rebellion enough, for me, for right now. 

We approached the street where we had to go separate ways and before we reached the streetlight on the corner, Virgil pulled me in for a quiet kiss. 

“Wait,” He said after we had pulled apart a little, “Stay like that, I need to remember how you looked in this moment.” He pulled out his phone, and he took a picture of me, half bent down, with his hand resting on my cheek. He put his phone away and I couldn't help but pull him in for another kiss. 

“Be careful.” He whispers against my skin, before backing away from me. We both glance around anxiously and see that no, there is no one in the shadows that is coming for us. He gives me one last smile before turning on his heel and walking away. And I stand there for a moment after he is gone, remembering the sound of his voice, the feel of his lips on mine, the warmth of summer on his skin, and I don't want to move from this spot. Maybe if I stand here forever, then I can continue experiencing this moment forever, and then summer can never end. 

My phone buzzes in the pocket of my jeans, breaking my illusion of my never-ending summer. It's my mom, asking where I am. I simply reply, “lost track of time looking at the stars. I’m walking home now. Sorry for not keeping you updated.” 

I walk through the light of the streetlamp, down my street, and the last of summer slips away in the light.


	2. Janus Threatens To Kill My Dad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i made Virgil and Remus witches yes I made Janus nonbinary its called projecting onto my favorite characters
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: verbal abuse, implied domestic abuse, patton being homophobic and saying r*tard (uncensored), jokingly mentioned murder

Virgil's P.O.V.

I took one last look at Logan, and his stupid, beautiful half smile, and the way the streetlight shines across his face almost erase the eyebags, and for a single moment, I believed that we would be okay. 

I turned away so he didn't see the tears welling up in my eyes, and the last illusion of safety crashing down around me. I started the walk back to my house, straining my eyes as if there was going to be someone hiding on the other side of the shadows. God, I hate Texas. I hate this town. It's impossible for me to even exist here, too many shadows and places where people could be hiding. Dad always said he thought the small town life would help ease my anxiety but if anything it's multiplied. 

I looked up at the house that I had only called home for a year. Dad got the position at the school at the beginning of last year, and we waited until the last possible moment to move in. It was a stressful time. I'm just glad I met Janus and Remus when I did, or I would have been completely lost. 

Enough reminiscing. I forced myself up the steps and into the house, seeing that the living room light was off, but dad was sitting at the Dining Room table working on a puzzle. I decided that maybe I hadn’t actually missed curfew and to just play it cool. 

I walked past him quietly and tried to escape up the stairs to my room. 

“Virgil! You're finally home! Come take a seat.” He said. It was more of a demand than an invitation. I took a seat across from him silently. “How was your day?” He asked. 

“It was okay,” I shrugged. What was he doing? I expected anger and yelling, but somehow this was a million times more unsettling. 

“What did you do?” He asked, still focusing on the puzzle. Was this really going to go without incident? 

“Uh, just hung out at the park most of the afternoon. Talked about school and stuff.” Talked about how we want to destroy the system and why everything about this town is literally awful. 

“Who were you with?” He asked. Uh oh. Here we go. This won't end well. 

“Logan.” He looked at me as if to prompt me to go on, “Logan Emsworth? He’s an incoming junior, top of his class, literally taking a million AP classes. He’s literally the top kid in his grade.” I explained. I remember Logan stressing so much during course selection, upset that they would only let him take 4 AP classes. 

“Oh, the autistic one, right. I didn't think you would really… get along with him.” 

Don't pick a fight over this Virgil, he's just trying to get under your skin, don't listen to him, you don't need to fight literally everyone that makes fun of your boy. 

He knew damn well who Logan was, and he knew that referring to him as “the autistic one”, was a prime example of how to piss me off in less than 5 words. But for once I swallowed my pride and just let the conversation move on. 

“So you spent all day with him?” Dad asked. 

“Yep.” It wasn't technically a lie. We had spent some of the day with Remus and Janus but I had spent all day with Logan. 

“Funny.” He says, “Because I got a call from a friend saying that she saw you with Janus and one of the Grimm boys down at the corner store earlier today.” 

Well Fuck. 

“Yeah, I was with them earlier today, but Logan was with us. We were just getting slushies, it's not like we were doing anything wrong.” I saw the look on his face and it felt like I had chosen the wrong dialogue option in a visual novel. 

“Now, son, I thought I told you to stay away from those two. They aren’t good influences.” He said. The fake kindness in his voice was really starting to get on my nerves. 

“What have they ever done wrong?” I asked, damn well knowing where this conversation was going. 

“Well, to begin with, Janus’s nickname is Deceit.” 

“Its a theatre nickname that he just rolled with because he’s extra as fuck.” I defended. Dad gaped at me as if he hadn’t heard me swear a million times before. The longer this went on, the angier I was getting, and I knew that if he made another comment like that about Logan I would just fucking lose it. 

“Regardless, that doesn't reflect very well on his character, kiddo.” He was starting to really get angry and I could tell this wasn't going to end well. 

“Maybe you shouldn't judge people whose story you don't know.” I sat forward, putting my elbows on the table. 

God please just let this one go, I can't deal with this shit right now. 

“Oh come on, gimme a little credit son! I am the principal, I know a lot about my students.”

“Despite not knowing who Logan Emsworth was, literally 2 minutes ago.” I said 

“About Logan,” He said. He was deflecting, “Is he… like your other friends?“ Here we fucking go. 

“What do you mean?” I knew damn well what he meant but I was not about to play his little game. 

“Yknow… “ He waved his hand and smiled, “Like Janus and Remus.“

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?“ He frowned at me becuase fucking boo language or whatever. 

“You know what I mean,“ He said, starting to drop the nice guy act. I glanced at my backpack at the base of the stairs. It had my school uniform and my gym uniform in it, so I could grab it and bolt if I needed to. Glad I had the foresight to pack it. 

“Enlighten me.” I said, sitting forward, ready for whatever came out of his mouth. Knowing, in my gut what he was going to say. Knowing that I wouldn’t want to hear it. Knowing that it would set me off. 

“Homosexual.” The false cherrieness was gone from his voice. “I just don't want you to end up…” He feigned struggling with his words, “Like your mother.” It took everything in me to not explode on him. 

“What do you mean?” I smiled through my anger, as if I had no idea what he was talking about, although we both knew this game. 

“I just don't want you to become a lesbo whore like your mother.” He said. And I wanted to physically fight him. “And I don't think you hanging out with homo degenerates and retards is going to help to put you on the right path.” 

“If your idea of ‘the right path’ is hating people then I don't want anything to do with it.” I said, “Hating people for simply existing isn't a good thing to go, sorry to break it to you pops.” 

“Oh, I don't hate them,” He said, “I just want to help them on their path to find the lord, so they can be truly accepted and repent for their sins.” 

My mind wandered to the tarot cards in my backpack that I was learning how to read, the sigils that Remus helped my paint onto the inside of my pockets and the bottom of my backpack. It wandered to the facts Logan would sprout about evolution and ancient civilizations, and how Janus could recite mythology and folklore that were decades, if not centuries older than the bible. 

I couldn't stay here right now, I would go insane. I am going insane. I can't stand to listen to him and his shit anymore, I'm so tired. Why is every interaction we have like this? 

“Whatever.” I said, standing up and grabbing my bag by the base of the stairs. 

“Where do you think you’re going, young man?” He said, standing up and reaching to grab my arm. 

“Somewhere I actually feel safe enough to sleep.” I said, pulling away before he could touch me. “I'm sorry you hate everything that ever tried to love you.” I pulled the door open and walked out. Was I over-reacting? Probably. Were there nights that were way worse, when he yelled and threw things and hit me? Yes. However the amount of adrenaline in my system was enough for 2 weeks and if I stayed I would have another panic attack and I couldn’t handle that right now. I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing the moment 

I pulled out my phone and called Janus, knowing that their mom would be fine with me crashing there. 

“H-” I didn't even realize I was crying until I tried to open my mouth to talk. 

“Virgil? Are you okay?” Janus’s voice was the soft kind of comfort I needed. 

“I-” I took a deep breath to get the words out, “I need somewhere to sleep.” 

“Did you get kicked out?” 

“Not exactly. I left. Because it wasn't safe for me to stay. And also I was so angry that I wouldn’t have been able to hold it together.” I was trying to keep my voice down as much as possible. 

“You’ll be okay. Do you need me to come and pick you up?” 

“No, I'm already halfway to your house, it wouldn’t make much of a difference now.” 

“Okay. I’ll tell mom you’re coming. Not that she really cares all that much. See you soon, Virgil.” 

“Thanks, Janus. I owe you one.” I said. 

“Can that one be testifying for me in court when I murder your father?” They asked. 

I didn't know how to verbally express a keyboard smash, but that is exactly what I was feeling. 

“If-” I was laughing and crying and all kinds of out of breath, “If that's the one you want, man.”


End file.
